Lover
by BurningxRedxCaskett
Summary: Arizona is at a complete loss of words. This was the last thing she expected when she opened her door.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: My first attempt at Calzona...and Grey's Anatomy fic's in general. Constructive Criticism is welcome, ideas as well.

-Krystle

* * *

Another day marked off the calendar. Only two more weeks until she can see Sofia again. She never thought that her life would turn out like this; living on opposite ends of the country from her child. That's the sacrifice of a mother. No matter how unfair it is to her, she couldn't stand to see Sofia miss Callie. Hell, she misses Callie.

She stops midway to her kitchen. _'Whoa, where did that come from?'_ She hasn't openly admitted it to anyone, but she does. She misses Callie. No matter who she tries dating, she's always comparing them to her ex-wife. It's all her fault too. She knows that. After the plane crash, and losing her leg - ok, yes, she knows Callie gave Karev the order to amputate, it was the only way to save her life; she knows that. But it changed her.

So much trauma all at once changes a person. She didn't know how to _let_ Callie be there for her. Then when they were making some progress, she goes and cheats on the one woman who had been there for her through everything. She knows she screwed everything up.

Pouring herself a glass of wine, she sits at the kitchen island. Callie preferred the bitterness of red wine, while Arizona opted for the sweet tasting white wine. Arizona takes a sip, and looks around her empty three bedroom house. It's quiet without Sofia. It's quiet without Callie clanging around the kitchen making a late dinner.

She looks down at the brochure on the island, picks it up. New York Presbyterian Hospital has an opening. The hospital looks amazing. Specializing in pediatrics, it's always been her goal to run their department. She loves her life in Seattle, but she misses her daughter so much. When NYP called and offered her the position, she was ecstatic. Of course they're giving her time to —

**-KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK-**

_'__Who could that be at this hour?'_ She places the wine glass and brochure on the counter top, and eases herself off of the barstool. The knocking continues.

"Just a sec, I'm coming," Arizona calls out. Straightening out her shirt, she puts a smile on her face, opens the door. She's met with brilliant brown eyes and tear stained cheeks. _Callie._

"Ok, so picture this: I'm in New York and everything is great. Penny forgave me, and Sofia made a new friend down the hall; and I've accepted the Ortho Attending position at NYU, and I'm making a name for myself. Except I'm crying, like all the time. So Penny asks me what's wrong, and I say 'That I miss my home, I miss my life in Seattle.' So she asks me if I want to go back, if I want just call it now, and go back. So I open my mouth to say 'no' but what comes out weirdly instead is 'yes'. So we did. And Sofia and I came back. You're my Home, Arizona."

Arizona is at a complete loss of words. This was the last thing she expected when she opened her door. Calliope, is standing before her and is baring her soul. She's been waiting to hear these words for two years-since Callie walked out of the therapists office the night their marriage ended.

"Arizona, say something," Callie says, looking more nervous than she's ever been.

Shaking out of her stupor, she takes in a deep, calming breath. "Would you like to come in? We need to talk."

Callie chuckles to herself, nods. "Yeah, it looks like we do."

Arizona steps aside letting Callie cross the threshold. She guides her into the kitchen, offering her a seat at the island. "Where's Sofia?"

"She's with Meredith," the Latina answers. "She picked us up from the airport, and as soon as Sof and Zola were together we couldn't get them apart. They missed each other so much. It's adorable how close they are."

Arizona nods, "They're best friends."

"They are," Callie nods.

"Callie, what happened?"

She sighs, "I thought that I wanted to be in New York. I really did. I thought that I loved Penny, and yeah, in a way I do; but I wasn't IN love with her. Not really."

"How so?"

"She doesn't bounce happily when she walks, she doesn't make all the character voices when she reads to Sofia at night, she smells like vanilla not Japanese Cherry Blossom, she's a red head not a blonde, she doesn't have dimples, and she doesn't have a super magic smile," glancing up at Arizona, Callie shrugs. "I was trying to replace you. But I can't replace you. I've tried not loving you, but you're IN me, Arizona. We've both made mistakes, but we've grown in the last couple of years. I know we can't just pick up where we left off, it's not gonna be like it was before. But maybe, we could be better? I just, I need to know that I'm not alone here. That my feelings aren't one sided. I love you, Arizona, I'm in love with you. I never stopped."

If she could, she'd jump for joy. She has been waiting to hear Callie say these things for years. "Callie -"

"Just…just think about it, Arizona," Callie says. "We don't have to jump back into anything yet. I just-I just want you to know that I am going to fight for you. I shouldn't have given up on us that night. I honestly thought that you'd follow me…then when you didn't I just figured you were tired too."

"I didn't know you wanted me to follow you," Arizona whispers. "I would have."

Callie nods, "We were in such a different place in our lives back then. As much as I wanted you to follow me that night, it might have been for the better that you didn't."

Arizona raises her eyebrow, "For the better? My wife and child moved out of my house, we got a divorce and you move across the country taking my kid and you call that 'for the better'?"

"Wait," Callie says, raising a hand to calm Arizona, "Just, hear me out. I think you and I both needed these two years to find out who we were _now_. We needed to find out who we were apart, to be able to grow together. It…it was hard the first few months without you. I had to learn how to be on my own again. I had to learn how to parent a child on my own, and be enough for her when she was with me so that she wouldn't feel unloved. I had to see if there really was someone out there for me. Yes, I thought I'd found it with Penny, but god, she was just…she wasn't _you_. No one will ever be you, Arizona. No one compares. How could they?"

She doesn't know who moved first, but now they're kissing. God, it's been so long since she's kissed Callie. She can feel Callie's hands in her hair, and the warmth of her skin as she wraps her arms around the brunette's waist. Callie moans into Arizona's lips, and the blonde pulls back, gasping for air, causing Callie to whimper.

"Wait," she whispers, resting her forehead on Callie's. "If we are truly going to be together again, then we need to go slow."

Callie cocks an eyebrow. "How slow? Cause, I don't want to go another day without kissing you. It's been too long."

"I agree," Arizona smiles. "But I need to take you out on a date. Wine and dine you. _Then_ I'm going to bring you back to my bed and show you how much I've missed you."

"Tease." Callie says with a pout, but then smiles. "When?"

"Tomorrow," bringing a hand up to Callie's cheek. "Right now, I want to see our daughter, so we are going to Mere's house."

_to be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: **Thank you so much for the love on the first chapter! I wasn't expecting it! Like I said, this is my first _Grey's_ fic, so I'm glad it was well received. Hope you like this next chapter. Please feel free to leave ideas in the reviews.

Reviews are love, leave some.

-Krystle

* * *

Arizona looks over at Callie once they're in her car. "What are we going to tell Sofia?"

"What do you mean?"

The blonde raises her eyebrows. "About this, us. Do we tell her we're going to try again?"

Callie sighs, "Oh. What if we tell her that we're just friends for right now, and whatever happens in the future just happens? I don't know, Arizona. She's a pretty smart kid, she's going to figure it out eventually. I mean, I don't want to get her hopes up by thinking that we are all going to live together again. Not right now anyway. Maybe I just lease an apartment until we see how solid we are?"

"What, so you don't think this is going to work?"

"I never said that," Callie defends. "All I'm saying is if we are truly taking this slow and trying again, then it's something to think about. I know I don't want to lose you again, and I don't want our child to be heartbroken again. We've all been through so much, I want the future to be ours."

Arizona softens. She wants a future with Callie, and she's so happy that her girls have come back to Seattle. She and Callie have so much history. Right now she just wants to see Sofia, the rest is a discussion for another day.

—

She swears Sofia grew at least a foot since she last saw her a few months ago. She hates that she missed it. She promised herself she wouldn't miss anything in her daughters life. She's making that promise again; no matter what happens with her and Callie, she will not miss out on Sofia's life.

After visiting with Meredith for a while, and letting Zola and Sofia play for a few more minutes, Callie tries and fails to hold back a yawn. While it's half past eleven in Seattle, she's still on New York time.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Meredith asks, "You're both more than welcome to stay here."

Callie smiles, "That's a nice offer, Mere, but my father arranged for us to stay at his hotel until I can find an apartment to lease."

Meredith smiles, "Okay. Well, I guess we will be seeing you around." She rises from the couch, and extends a hand to her daughter. "Zozo, Sofia has to go now."

Zola looks sad. "But you just got here," she says, "you're going back to New York already?"

Sofia smiles, "No! Mama and I moved back!"

"Yes!" Zola fist pumps, and hugs her friend. "See you tomorrow then!"

"Oh yeah!" Sofia nods.

The three women grin. Oh they're in trouble when these girls are teenagers.

After saying their goodbye's to Zola and Meredith, Arizona reaches her hand out for Sofia, "Come on, Bug, let's get you and Mama to the hotel."

Taking the offered hand, Sofia looks up at Arizona with her big brown eyes, "But I wanna stay at home with you. Please, Mommy?"

Arizona smiles at that and starts walking to the car, "Well, I'm okay with it if Mama is."

The young girl looks up at Callie, "Mama, _pleaseee._ Please can I stay with Mommy?"

"Well, how can I say no?" Callie smiles down at her daughter who is sticking out her lower lip in a pout. "I guess it's a slumber party for one."

Arizona looks up at Callie. "Don't be silly, Calliope. I have a guest bedroom you can crash in tonight. You look like you're about fall over."

Callie scoffs playfully. "Gee, thanks."

"What I meant was the jet lag-"

"I know what you meant," Callie chuckles, closing the backdoor of Arizona's car after making sure Sofia was secure. "Lets get this girl home. I'm sure she won't make it to the stop sign."

"Will too! I'm not sleepy, Mama!" Sofia squeaks from the back seat.

Looking in the rearview mirror, Arizona smiles at her daughters droopy eye lids. "You're not, huh?"

"Nope," Sofia yawns. "I'm wide awake."

—

Sure enough, Sofia was out before the stop sign. Callie reaches across the front seat, and takes Arizona's right hand off of the steering wheel, laces their fingers and rests their hands on the center console.

She keeps her eyes on the road ahead, trying not to get too distracted by Callie's thumb tracing circles on her skin. She's missed this, if she's being honest with herself, she's missed everything about Callie. She's not sure how she got through the last few years without the brunette beside her. Callie wanted to be free, she said it herself. She felt like Arizona was 'suffocating' her.

She can admit that the years they've spent apart was good for them. They've both grown as women, doctors and parents. Still, part of Arizona is scared. Does she want to be with Callie again? Yes, more than anything. But she's still scared that she won't be enough for her again. She knows that Callie is her soulmate. Love of her life. Whatever label you give, Callie is it. If something happens, and Callie leaves again, she wouldn't be able to survive it. They really do have a lot more talking to do.

A few minutes pass, and they're back at Arizona's house. Callie squeezes her hand. "I'll get Sofia."

Arizona nods, "I'll go get the door."

Opening the door to her house, she sets her things down just inside the door and heads back to the car to close Sofia's door once Callie has her out of the car. The trio head into the the house, and Callie heads up the stairs to put their daughter to bed, deciding that the young girl can just sleep in her clothes for tonight, no since in waking her up.

Coming back down, Callie makes her way over to the living room where Arizona is sitting. "Hey," she says with a smile. "You okay? You were quit on the drive from Mere's house."

Arizona nods, "Yeah, I'm great." She smiles over at Callie. "I really am. I love that you're back, both of you."

"But…?"

She hangs her head, blonde locks falling to frame her face. "But we still have a _lot _to talk about."

Callie reaches a hand out, resting it on Arizona's arm. "I know. We have a lot to work through and get out in the open if we are truly going to start over. But, as much as we need to have this conversation, can we do it another night?"

"Of course, Calliope," Arizona says, covering the Latina's hand with hers. "It's been a busy day, and you're still on New York time, so I can just imagine how exhausted you are." Arizona rises, and reaches her hand out to Callie, "I'll show you to your room."

Callie grins, accepting the outstretched hand, and rises from the couch. "After you."


End file.
